A CORONER at an inquest into the death of a ten-week-old baby who died suddenly at home recorded a verdict of natural causes.

The hearing in Crook heard how baby Jonah Llewellyn had been sleeping in between his parents Sarah Llewellyn, 29, and Steven Hopkins, 42, when Miss Llewellyn woke in the early hours of the morning to find he was not breathing.

Mr Hopkins attempted CPR, but despite his efforts, and those of paramedics called to the scene, Jonah died in his Darlington home three days before Christmas last year.

Since then, Miss Llewellyn and her family have raised around £1,000 for the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID).

Speaking after today’s (Wednesday, May 15) inquest, Miss Llewellyn said the family had a sense of closure following the verdict.

She added: “Jonah was a happy, lovely little baby.

“We remember him laughing and carrying on with everybody on the night before he died; it was such a shock to us all.

“He was a normal, healthy little baby.”

A pathologist's report summarised in court concluded that the cause of Jonah’s death was ‘unascertained’.

The court heard that he had been suffering from “snuffles” and a slight cough in the days before his death, but that he was otherwise in good health.

Police and child safeguarding agencies launched an investigation following Jonah’s death, but speaking at Cook Coroner’s Court, Detective Inspector Marian Garland said there was nothing suspicious about the circumstances.

She said that there was no evidence to suggest that he had died as a result of ‘overlay’ – suffocation caused by a parent rolling on top of their child.

“It is a possibility, but I don’t think on the balance of probability I could say it was an overlay,” said DI Garland.

Coroner Andrew Tweddle said that a verdict of death by natural causes was the most appropriate one.

Speaking afterwards, Jonah’s grandfather Brian Llewellyn said wanted to thank the police and the authorities for the way they dealt with the case.

He said: “It was all done so professionally, they were all so nice about it, and very, very efficient.

“The police officers were absolutely fantastic."